In watering plants around the home, several systems and/or methods are commonly used. These include dedicated watering lines (e.g., drip irrigation), area distribution devices (e.g., sprinklers), moveable hoses, and watering cans.
Drip irrigation and similar systems typically comprise a network of permanently stationed hoses which run from a house water supply (hose bib or spigot) to a number of plants. Because the hoses are typically cut to specific lengths, they are not amenable to being moved around to different plants after installation. Accordingly, this method is mainly appropriate for permanent or non-seasonal plants. Moreover, installation costs can be significant.
In the case of area distribution systems, one or more permanent or moveable sprinklers are attached to or set against the ground, and are supplied water via a portable hose or an underground, dedicated water line. In use, water is uniformly sprayed over a large area. This method is suitable for watering ground cover (such as grass), but is ill-suited for watering discreet plants. This is because: (i) water may be applied to areas where it is not needed; (ii) an increased amount of water is lost due to evaporation; (iii) most of the water is not applied to the root area of the plants; and (iv) a significant percentage of water is applied to plant foliage, which can lead to sunburn and similar problems.
Because sprinklers and drip systems have limited, specific uses, most gardeners utilize portable hoses and/or watering cans to water plants in the garden. In the case of the former, a hose is dragged sequentially from plant to plant. While functional, this method is ill-suited for those who cannot easily move a hose, heavy by itself and even more so filled with water, from plant to plant. Moreover, unless some sort of shutoff valve is used, water is wasted when moving between plants. Additionally, the gardener is at the mercy of the supply-line pressure, i.e., he or she has to spend a significant amount of time at each plant waiting for the appropriate amount of water to be discharged from the hose.
In the case of the latter, watering cans are small containers, typically having some sort of handle and water discharge spout, that can be filled with water and easily moved from plant to plant for watering. Watering cans are quite effective for applying water accurately, speed of application, and portability. However, they have to be frequently refilled, which can lead to certain problems. For example, if a hose is used for refilling, the refilling process can take quite a bit of time. Additionally, if a rain barrel is used as the water source (rain barrels are large barrels or other containers, located under a house's gutter downspouts, that collect rain water for later use), it is necessary to make a number of back-and-forth trips from the garden or plant area to the rain barrel. Moreover, without significant, frequent rainfall, rain barrels run out of stored water quite quickly. Furthermore, if a watering container is too large or awkward to fit into the barrel, the barrel's lower drain valve has to be used, which is typically very slow (low pressure).
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a method and system that allows for the quick refilling of watering cans, in close proximity to a garden area, and that is largely independent of supply-line water pressure.